Automatic cottnter and stacker



F. PFOHL.

AUTOMATIC COUNTER AND STACKER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20 I919.

Patented Oct. 14, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

1 9mm 170/12 094 71km F. PFOHL.

AUTOMATIC COUNTER AND STACKER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20,1919.

Paten'ted Oct. 14, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- ahwuboz 270%? P F. PFOHL.

AUTOMATIC COUNTER AND STACKER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20.1919.

1,318,910. Patented (ELI/1,1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- h a N Qwomtoz E4072]? .73/05/ W QM rM Mom,

F. PFOHL.

AUTOMATIC COUNTER-AND STACKER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20. 1919.

1,318,910. Patented Oct. 14,1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4- citizen ofthe'; Ll-nite of Chicago, Illinoi.

ing is a, specification.

' more especially for use in FRANK PFOHL, OF CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC COUNTER AN D ST ACKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 14,1919.

Application filed June 20, 1919. Serial No. 305,709.

To all whom it mug/concern:

Bc;,' t yknown that 1 Fans]; PFOHL, a iid a resident n-vented certain new. andu'seful Improv cuts in Automatic Counters and Stackers, of which the follow- My present invention relates to improve nients in apparatus for counting and stacking articles which are supplied continuously from any suitable source and is designed connection with machines for cutting roofing shingles from sheets of composite roofing material, althoughnot limited to such use.

The invent-ion aims to provide. a simple, du-rable eiiicient and economical machine in which the various parts are preferably con trolled in their action by compressed air, and the invention includes the novel features. of construction and arrangement and cembination of parts hereinafter described and defined by the appended claims.

' An embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1. is a front view of the machine; Fig. 2 is a side elevation; Fig. 3 a plan view, and Figs. 4 to 9, inclusive, are

- views of details.

Referring by reference characters to this drawing the numeral 1 designates a conveyer for conveying the articles from the source of supply, such as a cutting machine, which as they form no part of the present invention are shown in a diagrammatic manner. This conveyer is arranged to deliver the articles successively to a table or support until the requisite number has been piled or stacked thereon, "the article being delivered against a vertical stationary abutment 3 which defines the side edge of the pile. The table or support 2 is mounted to slide horizontally beneath the stationary abutment and after the requisite or predetermined number of articles has been piled on the table, the table is withdrawn to allow the .pile of articles to drop upon a conveyer 4, having one end located beneath the support 2. My preferred means for effecting the withdrawal of the table or support coniprises a pair'of racks 5 connected to the table'and engaged "by spur gears 6 carried on shaft 6 with which is connected 2. second spur gear 7 which meshes with a rack fast on a vertical rod or bar 8, connected to a piston 9, working in an air cylinder 10 so 'source of supply for warclly through that upon air being supplied to the air cylin-.

der 10, the piston is moved vertically and through the rack and gear connections above described, the table or support 2 is withdrawn and as the pile of shingles or other articles is held againstflateral movement by the abutment 8, the said pile will be dropped upon the conveycr 4. To effect the operation of the air cylinder 10 at the proper intervals, I provide a counting mechanism in the shape of a ratchet wheel 11, operated by any suitable pawl mechanism 12, which is operated by bell crank 12 from gear to which the end of rod 12 is eccentric-ally attached and which is driven in any suitable manner from the cutting mechanism. This ratchet wheel carries a projection 13 designed to actuate an air release valve 14, preferably by contacting with the arm 15 of a bell crank lever pivoted upon a fixed pivot and having its other arm 15 provided with a slot engaging a pin carried by a reciprocating bar or rod-16 to which the stem of the air release valve 14 is connected by a laterally projecting arm 16*. The air release valve is connected by a pipe 17 with the cylinder-10 below the piston 9 and also with a suitable air under pressure, indicated conventionally by the air pressure tank 18, through the pipe 19. When the requisite number of articles has been piled upon the table 2-, the air release valve is opened by the cam 13 acting on the bell crank lever which admits air to the cylinder 10 below the piston forcing the latter upthe rack and gear connections heretofore described withdrawing the table to drop the stack of articles upon the conveyor 4.

As the rack bars move to the left, Fig. 1, they contact with the free arms of a pair of levers 20 pivoted upon fixed supports, the other arms of which are connected by suitable links 20 with a sliding support 21, which is projected outwardly to support the articles which are deposited by the conveyer 1, during the time that table or support 2 is retracted, and the racks in contact with arms or levers 20; In order to hold the air release valve 14 open fora suiiicient length of time to efiect the movements above described, I provide the rod or bar 16 with a locking recess 16, which is designed to be engaged by a roller 22*, carried by the piston rod 22 of the air cylinder 23, which is connected by a pipe 24, with the compressed air supply which tends to move the piston and rod 22 to the right, Fig. 1, causing the detent roller 22 to enter the locking recess 16" and hold the rod 16. As the rack bar 5 approaches the limit of its backward movement, or movement toward the left in Fig. 1, a cam 5 tacts with the upper end of an arm 25 and causes the'sanie to be depressed operating the stem of air valve 26 through the rocking lever 27 to open the air valve, said valve being held open by a notch or detent 25, (see Fig. 7) which is engaged by a slidable dog 28. This movement of the air valve 26 connects the air pressure supply by a branch pipe 19 with a pipe 29, which has a branch 29 leading to the air pres sure cylinder 30, which has-its piston rod connected with a clutch 31, which is operated to start the gearing which operates the supporting conveyer 4, which receives the pile of articles dropped from the table 2. At the same time that the air cylinder 30 is operated the pressure of air admitted to the pipe 29 also serves to move the piston rod 22 outward by reason of the air passing through the branch pipe 29 to the outer end of the cylinder 23. A cam 22 on the piston rod 22 contacts with the in clined upper end of the bar 16 depressing the latter and restoring the bell crank 15 to its initial position.

In order to stop the movement of the conveyer 4, I provide a lever 32 having one arm arranged in the path of the pile of articles and its other arm connected by a rod 33 with the latch or dog 28 which is withdrawn from the notch in the rod 25 and air valve 26 released thereby exhausting the air from cylinders 23 and 30. The pistons of cylinders 10, 23, and 30are all of the differential area type as shown and have their smaller areas constantly connected with the air pressure tank 18. As soon therefore as the air is exhausted from the larger area of the piston cylinder 30 the pressure on the smaller area immediately moves the piston to clutch disengaging position. At the same time the exhausting of the air from the larger area of cylinder 23 leaves the latter under the pressure of the fr air acting on the lesser area and ready to again act as a detent. The'smaller area of cylinder 10 is connected to the air pre$ure tank by pipe 10 and as soon as air is exhausted from the larger area the pressure moves the piston downward and returns the table to stacking position.

The precise arrangement of the air pres sure valve 26 is shown in Fig. 4, in which 26 designates a casing provided with two valve seats 35 and 36, having cooperating valves 35 and 36, which be in the form of ball valves as shown. The space or chamber 37 above the valve 35 is on the rack bar 5 (see Fig. 8) con- 7 movement of may conveniently connected with the pipe 29 while the space or chamber 38 above the valve 36 is connected by the pipe 19 pressure. The push is designed to lift valve 36 from its seat by which air pressure is admitted to the chamber 37, valve 35 at this time being closed. The rod or stem 38 is connected by a rocking lever 39, pivoted upon a fixed support and connected with a push rod 40, which is designed to lift the valve 35 when the valve 36 is closed, thereby allowing the air to exhaust from the chamber 37 to the open air. Air release valve 14 is similar in construction and arrangement to valve 26 above de scribed.

The air cylinder 23 is Fig. 5. I

rod 38 piston which is connected by a port-24 with the air pressure pipe 24, while the space B in the rear of the piston or between the piston and cylinder head is connected by a port 29 with the pipe 29. These ports are preferably provided with check valves w and a" respectively. hen the valve 36 is closed air pressure from the tank enters through the port 24-, into the annular space A holding the piston in its extreme left hand position, F ig. When the valve 36 is unseated, the air enters the space B past the check valve 0 and owing to the differential area of the piston surfaces moves the piston to the right, and exhausting the through branch passage 29 until the piston covers this branch passage or port when the the piston is checked or cushioned, the balance of the exhaust taking place by a small groove in the seat of the check valve; The same arrangement for cushioning is provided at the opposite end, to-wit: the branch passage 24 and the small groove in the seat of the-valve at.

Air cylinders 10 and 30 are similar in construction to cylinder 23 above described so that detailed illustration and description is unnecessary,

eing one of size.

In order to properly om the conveyer to the accumulating pile on table 2 I provide a plurality of guide fingers 51 riveted or otherwise suitably secured to a bar 51" 52 fast on rock shaft 55; thesefingers projecting from beneath the delivery end of the conveyer toward the pile. These fingers are raised to correspond to the increasing height of the pile on the table 2 by a rod 53 having a. projection or roller 54 engaging a spiral cam 50 operated by or in unison with the connecting wheel. The upper end of the bar 53 is slotted to slidingly engage a pin 57. Thus as the successive articles are dropped on table or support 2 the fingers guide the articles space B, the air passes out with the source of air the only difference necessary 4 a movable table,

51 are raised so as to always remain slightly above the top of the pile or stack.

each successive article is fed by the conveyer its rear edge is engaged by arms 58 which move back between the fingers 51 to permit the article to be deposited on thefingers in front of the arms 58 which then move forward and press the article up against abutment 3 :securing proper alinement. The arms 58 are carried by a rock 'shaft 63 provided with a crank arm 61 operated' by a link 62 eccentrically connected to a gear wheel 59 driven from gear 60.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a counting and stacking machine,

means for piling the articles thereon, a fluid pressure rain for mov ing the table to deposit the-articles and counting means arranged to effect the actuation of said ram when a predetermined number has been accumulate 2. In a counting and stacking machine, a movable table, means for piling the articles thereon, a ram for moving said table to deposit the accumulated articles, pipe connections to said ram from a source of fluid under pressure, valve means for controlling the admission and exhaust of fluid from said ram and a counting device for controlling said valve means. v

3. In a counting and stacking machine. a movable table, continuously acting means for piling the articles thereon, a slid-able table to receive the articles, a stationary abutment at the side of the table and fluid pressure actuated means for sliding said table beneath the-abutment when a prudetermined number the table.

4. In a counting and stacking machine, a movable table, conveyer means associated therewith, means for continuously feeding articles to the table, fluid pressure actuated means for moving the table to deposit the has been. accumulated on V accumulated articles on the conveyer and slidable table,

fluid pressure actuated means for moving the conveyer intermittently.

5. In a counting and stacking machine, a movable table, means for piling articles thereon, fluid pressure operating means for moving said table, having pipe connections to a source of fluid under pressure, a valve for controlling said pipe connections, a continuously operating counting wheel designed to operate said valve and fluid pressure control means for holding said valve in its operated length of time.

6. In a counting and stacking machine, a continuously acting means for piling articles thereon, a stationary abutment adjacent said table, fluid pressure operating means for sliding said table beneath the abutment when the predetermined numarticles to be stacked thereto,

position for a predetermined her of articles has been accumulated thereon, a movable support for the articles fed during the absence of the table and means for automatically projecting said support when the table is withdrawn. i

7. In a machine of the character described, a slidable table, a stationary abutment adja- .cent thereto, means for continuously feeding articles to the table, an endless conveyer be.- neath the table, a rack connected with the table, a fluid pressure ram arranged to actuate said rack to withdraw the table from beneath the abutment and continuously acting counting means for controlling the operation of said ram.

' 8. In a machine of the character described, a reciprocating table, a stationary abutment. associating therewith, means for continuously feeding articles to said table, a rack connected with said table, a fluid actuating ram, a rack connected to said ram, gearing between said racks, a continuously operating counting device and means whereby said counting device controls the operation of said ram, 7

9. In a machine of the character described, a movable table, means for iling articles thereon, fluid pressure operating means for moving said table to discharge the accumulated articles, pipe connections from said fluid pressure means to a source of fluid pressure, a valve for controlling said pipe connections and means for operating said valve comprising a continuously operating counting wheel having a cam projection, a slidable bar connected to said valve and arranged to be operated by said cam and detent position for a predetermined length of time.

10. In a machine of the character described, a movable table, means for feeding a fluid pressure ram for actuating said table, a source of fluid under pressure, supply and exhaust pipes connected to said ram, a valve in said pipe connections, continuously acting counting means for actuating said valve at predetermined intervals, and fluid pressure actuated means for holding said valve for a determined period after it has been operated.

In a machine of the character described a movable table to receive articles to i be stacked, a fluid pressure mm operatively connected to said table, a source of fluid un der pressure, a supply pipe connecting said supply with said ram, a valve controlling said supply pipe, means for actuating said valve at determined intervals, and means controlled by the movement of the table for exhausting fluid from said ram to return the table to initial position.

12. In a. machine of the character described a movable table to receive articles to be stacked, means for feeding articles thereto, a fluid pressmre ram operatively con ,veyer including a clutch, a fluid nected with said table and having differential piston areas, asource of fluid under pressure, a constantly open pipe connection from said source to the smaller area serving normally to hold said ram retracted, a pipe connection from said source to the larger area, an air release valve in said last named connection, and means for periodically operating said valve.

13. In a machine of the character described a movable table to receive articles to be stacked, means for feeding articles thereto, a conveyer to receive the stack of articles from said table, means for intermittently operating said table to discharge the stacks of articles onto the 'conveyer, and means for intermittently moving said conressure ram operatively connected with sai clutch, a source of fluid under pressure for'said ram, and means for controlling said ram.

14. In a machine of the character described a movable table to receive articles to be stacked, means for feeding articles thereto, a conveyer to receive the stacks of articles from said table, means for intermittently operatin said table to discharge the stacks of artic es on to the conveyer, and means for intermittently movin said conveyer including a clutch, a fluid ressure ram operatively connected with sai clutch, having a differential piston area, a source of fluid under pressure in constant communication with the lesser area serving to hold said clutch in non driving position, and automatically controlled means for admitting fluid pressure to the larger area of said piston and exhausting it therefrom.

15. In 'a vmachine of the character described a movable table to receive articles to be stacked, means for feeding the varticles thereto, a fluid pressure ram operativelv connected to said table and having a differential piston area, a source of fluid pressure in constant communication with the lesser area, a pipe connecting said source with the greater area, a valve controlling said pipe connection, a movable element for actuating said valve, means for intermittently operating said movable element, and detent means for said movable element coniprisin a cylinder and piston having difi'erentia piston areas, a constantly open pipe connection to the lesser area, a detent element connected with the piston and adapted to engage said movable. element, and means for admitting air to and exhausting it from said larger area.

16. In a machine of the character described a table or support, means for feedin articles to be actuated in unison with sai feeding device, said counting device embodying a wheel journaled on a horizontal axis, a vertically adjustable uide arranged beneath the delivery end of the feeding means and projecting toward the table, a lifting element connected to said guide and an interrupted spiral flange on said wheel, said lifting element having a part engaging said flange.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

FRANK PFOHL. 

